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Flickr photo by oleggherasimovThe Stir reader Ginger writes:
I'm planning on getting married next summer at the beach and am looking for a casual dress to wear for the occasion. It's going to be very casual with about only 20 people in attendance. I love your sense of style and was hoping you could give me some options as to what to wear on my special day!
Oh Ginger, congratulations! You know I'm going to help you, girl! Here are a few ideas ...
First of all, you're getting married at the right time for a casual wedding, because more retailers than ever before are offering affordable wedding gowns to a public that's clearly tired of paying thousands of dollars for a nice dress that happens to be white. J.Crew has lots of affordable wedding dresses to choose from.
JCrew.com, $600This J.Crew Silk Tricotine Allegra Gown ($600) is casual yet elegant and won't break the bank.
JCrew.com, $425This J.Crew Silk Chiffon Taryn gown ($425) is an even nicer price -- and both dresses could be hemmed to a shorter length so that they wouldn't drag in the sand.
LillyPulitzer.com, $368A casual wedding also gives you the option of choosing a hip, vintage-style wedding dress, like this Lilly Pulitzer Shayna Dress ($368), which I've had my eye on for ages. It reminds me so much of something Twiggy would have worn ...
Lilly Pulitzer, Del Mar Dress Solid, $228Alternatively, you could opt for a simple and classic LWD, like this Lilly Pulitzer Del Mar Dress ($228). I love this option, and I also love the casual accessories that are paired with the dress in this photo.
BetseyJohnson.com, $428This Evening Betsey Johnson Cut Out Embroidered Taffeta Slip Dress ($428) would be perfect for a beach wedding ...
Chicos.com, $129Or you could opt for super-casual with this comfortable and flattering Chico's Summer Escape Helen Dress ($129).
I could go on forever, but you get the picture. With your beach wedding, I'd recommend wearing flat gold, silver, or crystal-embellished sandals.
Endless.com, $44.95This diamond-studded Lava Women's Abigail Flat With T-Strap ($44.95) would be perfect.
Nordstrom, $265And you know how much I love Kate Spade! This Kate Spade Bianca Sandal ($265, Nordstrom) may be pricey, but what the hey? It's your wedding!
With all the wind involved in a beach wedding, why not keep your jewelry very simple, skip the veil, and wear fresh flowers in a messy updo?
Congratulations again, Ginger! I just know you'll be a beautiful bride!
Have a Help Desk question? E-mail me at suburban.turmoil@yahoo.com!
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Comments (17)
For a beach wedding, definitely consider a shorter dress. The J Crew dresses above are pretty, but check out their bridesmaids dresses for something shorter and more casual. Almost all of them come in white or cream and can work for the bride.
Thank you so much Lindsay! I feel like a rockstar being the focus on this post! I love the dress from Chicos! Exactly the type of dress I am looking for!
Thank you so much Lindsay! You make me feel like a rockstar being your first post at The Stir! I love the dress from Chicos! Exactly the type of dress I am looking for!
Oh good. This is a great season to shop, Ginger. White dresses are all the rage, so I think you'll find even more of them on the racks right now than usual. :)
LOVE the J Crew dresses. They are so simple and timeless. I wanted to add that for the larger ladies, like me, David's Bridal has inexpensive options (like Kari said, the bridesmaid dresses would be more appropriate for a beach/casual wedding). I was married on the beach last year and I wore a white sundress from Lane Bryant. I was barefoot too - although I had white flipflops as a backup!) and wore beautiful red flowers in my hair, as did our attendants.
I like the top and the bottom one. The top one is beautiful. I would def get it hemmed shorter for a beach wedding though.
Great ideas! I basically read everything you write and enjoy every bit of it. congrats on the new site!
I think I would go at least a bit shorter on those dresses for a beach wedding, too. What I like about the J Crew gowns is that you can have a formal look in your photographs and yet they are simple enough to hem shorter for the beach.
That said, I looked at a lot of beach wedding photos on Flickr before I wrote this post and saw a LOT of floor length wedding dresses. Impractical, yes- but the photographs looked great. I think that as long as your armpits are uncovered, you can't go wrong with the dress. You will have gorgeous photos no matter what!
If I had it to do over again, I would have worn a short dress. For a beach wedding, I think that is definitely the way to go.
Congrats on the new digs, Lindsay! I wish there was a way to have multiple weddings without having multiple husbands. I would definitely have a beachy one.